Bebo Rides Again (1995)

"This CD is both historic and quite exciting. Bebo Valdes (father of Chucho, the leader of Irakere) was one of the giants of Cuban jazz and popular music until he fled the country in 1960. This recording is also significant in that it is one of the first times that Cuban exiles had recorded with Cubans still living under Castro (guitarist Carlos Emilio Morales and percussionist Amadito Valdes). Paquito D'Rivera (who organized this set) deserves a lot of credit for its success, but Valdes is the real star. He composed eight new selections in the 36 hours before the recordings began, although he was 76 years old at the time. The final results are full of strong melodies, stirring rhythms, exciting ensembles, and lots of variety. The instrumentation differs on each track, with plenty of solo space for D'Rivera, trombonist Juan-Pablo Torres, trumpeter Diego Urcola, and the pianist. This is one of the finest Afro-Cuban jazz recordings of recent times. Highly recommended." (Allmusic)